Universal Credit Implementation: Meeting the Needs of Vulnerable Claimants

The Government has responded to the Work and Pensions Committee’s recent report on Universal Credit by issuing a “command paper” setting out plans to support vulnerable claimants.  Key points of the paper are;

• Universal Credit payments will be switched to landlords “where claimants are in arrears or fall into arrears”.  DWP says: “We are clear that Universal Credit must be designed in a way that protects the financial position of landlords.”
• DWP is refusing to define “vulnerability” for purposes of securing direct payments to landlords. Instead, “full guidance” - including financial and vulnerability factors that would trigger a conversation with a claimant about their budgeting needs (including whether they need an alternative payment) – will be made available to support staff handling these cases.
• Landlords will also be able to make a case for additional budgeting support for specific tenants.
• DWP wants 50% of claims to be made online in October 2013; 45% will be made by telephone and 5% face-to-face

Download a copy of the command paper from the DWP website.